This invention relates to a shift of a heavy vehicle transmission into neutral, when conditions indicate that the vehicle has remained stationary for a period of time.
Heavy vehicles have typically been provided with an automated clutch and an automatic, automated, or manual transmission. In an automatic or automated transmission, some actuators are provided with the transmission to move a transmission shift apparatus between the various speed ratios. Thus, as is known, an actuator such as a fluid piston will move shift forks, etc., to disengage a gear, and then move to engage another gear when a transmission speed ratio change is being implemented.
Further, many modern transmissions are associated with an automated clutch. An automated clutch is also actuated by an actuator.
One concern with modern heavy vehicles occurs when a vehicle is to remain stationary for a period of time. A driver may sometimes open the clutch, and leave the transmission engaged, while the vehicle continues to run. For several reasons, it would be desirable for the transmission to be in neutral and the clutch closed during these stationary running periods. However, to date, a control to achieve this desired state has not been developed.